Now, the Stetsons are teaching their children how to run a business, along with the value of a dollar, as Heather explains.

Tell me how you got started ...

My husband and I brought the franchise to San Antonio. We had three young children at the time, ages 2, 3 and 5. We wanted to have a company around family. Something our kids could be involved in and enjoy. Something to help the community and, hopefully, the community would embrace us. He'd been searching for two years. This popped up and we went to meet the owner, Tony Lamb, and he's just a fabulous guy. So we said, “How could we not?” It's built around community and schools and kids.

Almost two years later, how has it worked out?

We've done quite well. Of course, there are definitely areas we can improve on, but it is nice. Take for instance, Alamo Heights. That community has really embraced us. We've raised thousands of dollars for the schools as well as their Little League program they have here. We have corporate clients, like Coca-Cola, who were the first to take a chance on us.

Where do you usually take the truck?

We go out to Bulverde, Boerne, day cares in Stone Oak. We did Fiesta this year. We're mobile. We go where the client is.

What have you found to be the busiest times?

It's very interesting. When we went to the Kona convention, we found out that everyone else has peak times from June through August. For us, we work February, March, April and May with the Lions Football Club and we're out at the Schertz soccer fields. (The team starts) again in the fall, so August, September, October, November and the first two weeks of December. We do stay pretty busy. We try to shut down for December through early February. I think my best was 329 Konas an hour, which we don't like to do. We usually stick to 275. It doesn't take long to make them, about 3 seconds. The lines aren't very long. The schools and day cares have it pretty organized so the line keeps moving pretty quickly.

Are you doing this full time?

My husband has a full-time job, and I have three kids, so I try to be there for them and all their school activities. I work on this as much as I can. I have set hours when the kids are in school and then at night. My husband takes over the financial aspects, which he does late at night.

How active are your kids in the business?

Williams likes to clean the truck and the other kids like to serve and take the money. I make the ice and give it to the customer and the children will take the money and give them their change back, or leis if they buy the King Kona. We're teaching them the value of a dollar. They're learning about everything involved — watching us order supplies, loading the truck. A hard-work ethic. You do have to work in life if you want to do well.